The impact of ecological and conventional technologies on strawberry fruit quality (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.)
Abstract
Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.), it is one of the most prized fruits grown due to its sweet and aromatic taste, and health-related compounds, including anthocyanins, antioxidants, fiber, and ellagic acid.
The main reasons for eating organic strawberries are related to health benefits (i.e. fewer pesticide residues and more balanced nutrition), taste and environmentally friendly agricultural practices such as those that promote soil health. Comparing the quality of horticultural products obtained by ecological technologies with conventional ones are very complicated due to the interactive effects of technologies, soil quality, genotypes and harvest time, all with direct effects on nutritional quality.
The objective of the research was to comparatively analyze the quality of fruits in two strawberry varieties grown on the farm, under identical pedoclimatic conditions, through ecological and conventional technologies, through psycho-sensory analyzes, using the nine-point hedonic assessment scale.
The sensorial quality of strawberries is a key factor in consumer preference. Although numerous methods have been used to assess taste, smell and aroma, it seems that the most widely used scale for measuring the acceptability of fruit is the nine-point hedonic scale. The verbal anchors of the scale were selected so that the psychological distance between successive points of the scale was approximately equal. This equal interval property helps justify the practice of analyzing responses by assigning successive integer values (0, 1, 2, ... up to 8) at scale points and test differences in mean acceptability using parametric statistics.
Using hedonic/taste assessments, panel sensory analyses of consumers found that organic "Clery" strawberries are sweeter and have preferable flavor, appearance and overall acceptance compared to conventional fruits. Organic and conventional fruits "Aprica" were valued similarly. The sensory results of sweeter-tasting organic strawberries "Aprica" were confirmed by the higher content of soluble solids determined by biochemical analysis in the laboratory.
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